Specialist PV manufacturing equipment supplier Amtech Systems is restructuring its solar cell manufacturing equipment business with job losses after China-based customers have pushed-out capacity expansion plans after government cuts were made to downstream solar installation targets as deployments far exceeded goals.
At Intersolar Europe 2018, PV Tech talked at length with Aiko Solar’s vice general manager Michael Ho, to gain an update on capacity expansions and strategy with its expanding range of PERC-based cells vis-a-vis the European market.
As the solar industry has grown from a 50GW market to 100GW in just a few years, the desire to have differentiated production has increased, especially for companies entering the market or repositioning strategies.
Nanoelectronics R&D organisation imec has reported a record 4-terminal Perovskite/silicon tandem photovoltaic cell with a conversion efficiency of 27.1%, while claiming further microcrystal engineering leads a path of efficiencies of over 30%.
PV Tech was recently given the opportunity to undertake an in-depth interview with Rongfang Yin, vice president of Trina Solar Group to understand the potential business impact on the company of the recent Chinese government policy changes and what if any new strategies were required.
Major China-based PV module manufacturer Risen Energy, which entered PV Tech’s Top 10 module manufacturer’s rankings for the first time in 2017, has recently held a ground-breaking ceremony for its planned 5GW solar module manufacturing base in the Yiwu Information Optoelectronics High-tech Industrial Park, Zhejiang, China.
Major PV metallization paste producer Heraeus Photovoltaics has announced that its President, Andreas Liebheit has already stepped down from his position, due to personal reasons.
NOS Microsystems has developed an electronic software delivery (ESD) ecosystem called 'getPlus' that bridges the gap between automation provider and end user by seamlessly integrating into the industrial automation providers’ licensing structures and databases—SAP, Oracle etc…to monitor the status of machines so exact updates, and incompatibility issues are identified. The user-friendly tool helps factories make the transition to industry 4.0.
‘Silicon Module Super League’ (SMSL) member JA Solar has said that its previously planned acquisition by an investor consortium via an all-cash transaction led by its founder, chairman and CEO, Baofang Jin had been completed, resulting in de-listing from the NASDAQ stock exchange.
China-based PV module materials and N-type mono and IBC (Interdigitated Back Contact) bifacial module manufacturer, Jolywood has solidified its business relationship with Qinghai province State Power Investment Corporation’s Huanghe Hydropower Development Co., (SPIC) by establishing a joint laboratory to advance new materials, cells and module technology.
